Success Comes When Members Stand Strong

We recently achieved an important union win, ensuring that management adheres to our union contract (Collective Bargaining Agreement /CBA).

Management at the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles (JFEDLA) tried to violate the rights of our members in the position of Program Managers/Connectors and Creators by unilaterally imposing a three-year end date to their jobs, claiming they would be “burned out” in that time. This was not only insulting, it was blatant abuse of how their contract defines their Time Limited status. According to the JFEDLA CBA, Time Limited jobs end when they lose funding – not because a supervisor decides they want new bodies!

One of the Connectors bravely stepped forward and, with the help of our AFSCME professional rep, Marcus Baisley, filed a grievance, to fight back for the whole team. It took several meetings with the head of JFEDLA HR and their lawyer to get management to agree to remove the illegal three-year end date.

Management only agreed to follow the contract because we fought back through the grievance process. Together, members standing strong, we have the power to create change.

MEMBERS, PLEASE NOTE: We have active union members at the Federation, and that’s how we learned of the problem – but there are many worksites where we have no union stewards or representatives. Being a union steward and/or representative on the Local 800 Executive Board means watching out for any violation of your CBA, and standing up for yourself and your co-workers.

Have you looked through your CBA, available here, on the website? Do you know your rights? Would you like to be more involved and/or would you like us to come out to your worksite for a lunchtime visit? Let us know.  Write to us at unionlocal800@gmail.com.